Pneumatic cushion for stump-legs.



J. 5 LA POINT. PNEUMATIC CUSHION FOR STUMPVLEGS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1911.

Patented Apr. 1, 1913,

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I }TNESSES% I JOSEPH G. LA POINT, 01E NEW ALBANY, INDIANA.

PNEUMATIC CUSHION FOR STUMP-LEGS.

Specification ofletters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

Application filed June 21, 1911. Serial No. 634,614.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, Josnrn G. LA POINT, aresident of New Albany, in the county of Floyd and State of Indiana,have invented a new and Improved Pneumatic Cushion for Stump-Legs, ofwhich the following is a full,--clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective cushionfor a stump leg to support it easily within the shell and against theupper edge of the shell of the artificial leg. V

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, which will he more fully described hereinafter and thenpointed out in the claim.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a vertical section showing the shell and the cushion inposition on the stump leg; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the stump legand cushion wrapped thereon before it has been covered by the outerstump sock; and Fig. 3 is a. perspective view of a modification of thepneumatic cushion.

A stump leg, is ordinarily supported several inches above its'endagainst 'theinncr wall and the upper edge of the shell of the artificialleg. Heretofore pneumatic coils have been used within the shelltosupport the stump therein, and a. specially placed pneumatic coil hasbeen'used to support the stump against the upper edge of the shell. Thisarrangement is very expensive, causes undue pressure against the stumpat theupper edge of the shell, and requires two different pieces,specially arranged, to give the support in both places.

- An ordinary pneumatic bladder, in the form of a sleeve will notproduce thedesired results, because it is too easily displacedlengthwise.

By using a pneumatic sleeve 3, provided with a valve 4 to support thestump 1 against the shell 5, in which the outer wall, or both walls, ismade of rubberized silk or other stiffened non-elastic, flexible,air-tight material, I provide a pneumatic cushion in which the air willnot be all pushed outside the shell and which will form a widened ring,as shown in' Fig, 1, to support the stump against the upperedge. of theshell and hold it securely in place vertically.

The pneumaticcushion 3 should be placed on the stump outside an innerstump sock 2 and should be covered by an outer stump sock (i as shown'inFig. 1.

In the preferred form of my invention I split the cushion 3 lengthwise,as shown in Fig. 2, so that it can be wrapped around the stump like abandage after it is inflated. The cushion. may also be made with itsWalls in the form of a portion of a conical surface as shown in Fig. 3.

I do not limit myself to the exact form in which my invention is hereindisclosed further than is indicated in the claim which follows.

I claim:

A pneumatic stump support consisting of a rectangular inflatablecushionof. greater length than the circumference of the leg, so

that it may be overlapped, said cushion being extended over and restingupon the up pier edge of the leg socket and furnished .with a valve atits upper edge.

' JOSEPH G. LA POINT.

Witnesses: I

. KATHERINE ARNETT, LULA L. BALLWEY.

